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Selangor has enough water to last until 2019

The Selangor government today stood firm over its projection that water supply in the state is sustainable until 2019, contradicting a claim made by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) yesterday.

State exco member for tourism, consumer affairs and environment, Elizabeth Wong, claimed that Syabas’ figures rely heavily on a faulty water usage projection made by National Water Reserve Survey (NWRS) in 2001.

“NWRS gives a grossly inflated figure of water demand of 500-1225 litres per capita per day (l/c/d) by 2010, which is 30 percent higher than the actual water usage,” she told reporters after the exco meeting today.

She (left) said the NWRS used “water-need approach”, which was based on national GDP growth forecast, to project the figure.

“It did not take into consideration of the occurrence of global economic crisis that has affected Malaysia too,” she continued.

Yesterday, Syabas chief operating officer Lee Miang Koi claimed Selangor could face a water crisis before the completion of Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant, which was scheduled to be completed in 2015 but was now delayed.

He said in a forum last Wednesday that the high demand in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with their scarce resources would soon leave the residents high and dry.

He was quoted as saying the reserve capacity for the three areas is three to five percent, which is lower than the minimum 10 percent requirement.

He also urged federal and state governments to accelerate the construction of Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant.

“Resolve high leakage”

Wong today refuted the notion, saying that the capacity of existing plants is enough to cater for growing demand.

She said upgrade on certain plants is expected to be completed soon.

“We should instead address the issue of non-revenue water in the state, which stands at a high level of 30 percent,” Wong noted.

“Syabas till now has not reduced it to an acceptable level,” she added.

Non-revenue water refers to unbilled water caused by leakages.

Wong added that the Selangor government is actively promoting water conservation, water recycling, rain water harvesting while exploring alternative water sources.

“We won’t have water crisis until 2019, and that is if the water industry restructuring process has not been done,” she said.

As for Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant, Wong said she had met with the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin and hopes the latter will not delay the construction anymore.